Callais claimed her foot slid off the brake after Charpentier stopped her Sept. 4 for having illegal window tint on her truck. As Callais’ truck moved forward, the officer pepper-sprayed the 61-year-old woman.

He pepper-sprayed her a second time to subdue her, then arrested her.

Charpentier contends Callais repeatedly refused instructions to hand over her license and registration and to get out of the truck. She tried to get “special treatment” for the window-tint violation, he said, by demanding to have the matter resolved at the Town Hall.

The Golden Meadow Town Council voted to fire Charpentier five days later, citing complaints by other community members against the officer, who had served more than two years with the department.

Councilman David Adams, Callais’ son-in-law of Callais, abstained from the vote. Callais’ relationship with Adams played a large role in the firing, Charpentier said.

The Lafourche Sheriff’s Office attempted to serve a subpoena to Charpentier March 31 at the Golden Meadow Town Hall, said Sgt. Lesley Hill Peters, a spokeswoman.

A town hall employee told a deputy Charpentier had moved to Arkansas. The Sheriff’s Office was unable to find an address for Charpentier, Hill Peters said.

If Lafourche law-enforcement authorities had wanted to find him, they could have, Charpentier said. He recalled speaking with Billy Bourg, an investigator with the Lafourche District Attorney’s Office, weeks before in connection with a different case.

“If they would have served me with a subpoena, I would have definitely been there,” Charpentier said.

Video taken from his patrol unit, he added, was sufficient proof that Callais instigated the altercation. Callais did not return multiple phone calls seeking comment.

While the video captured a struggle, it was imperative to have the officer authenticate what happened, Morvant said.

“We can put the tape on in court but we have to have a witness say this accurately reflects what actually occurred,” Morvant said.

Based on the video, Golden Meadow Police Chief Randy Chiasson maintained the former officer acted appropriately in using pepper spray to subdue Callais, a person he believed was a threat to his safety.

“She wouldn’t let go of the steering wheel,” Chiasson said. “If she had given her information to him, she would have been given a citation and been on her way.”

The Daily Comet requested a copy of Charpentier’s patrol unit video Monday morning. Chiasson said he was unable to make a copy available Monday because he was out of his office much of the day.